Scouring device



W. C. PROTZ scoURING DEVICE June 19, 1934.

Filed June 16. 1932 M K n m Patented June 19, 1934 sooURING DEVICE n.

william o. Protz, Manitowoc, Wis., assignerY tu' National TinselManufacturing Company, Manitowoc, Wis., a corporation of WisconsinApplication June 16, 1932, Serial No.` 617,617

This invention relates to scouring implements of that type which embodyspongy masses of metallic ribbon for scraping, cleaning and polishingthe surfaces of kitchen utensils and other 1- surfaces which requiresimilar treatment.

More particularly, the present invention is directed towardsimprovements in that type of metallic sponge which is formedsubstantially entirely of a mass of scouring strand that is adaptm ed tobe gripped directly by the hand when used.

In manufacturing a sponge of this type it is preferable to tie it insome manner or other in order to give it a definite shape havingsubstantial permanence, and to this end various prior proposals havebeen made and several typesof tied sponges have been marketed.

Some of the above mentioned old and marketed devices are tiedwithrrelatively heavy wires, the ends of which often scratch and prickthe lingers. The ends and edges of these tie'wires, moreoven-may mark ordamage thesurface being cleaned and they further detract from theappearanceiand fluiness of the sponge. VIt has been proposed to apply aheavy tiewire in such 25- manner as to conceal it within the body ofscouring material, but the particular method referred to does notentirely avoid the enumerated objections, and furthermore it results inthe compression of a large quantity of the mass of scouring materialwith resultant `reduction in the quantityand surface area of thematerial available for cleaning purposes. f

It is one of the major objects of the present invention to devise animproved scouring implement of the class above described, by binding thescouring mass into shape with a tying material which simulates the massin appearance and other characteristics. Though visible, this tyingmaterial is hardly distinguishable as a separate element of thecombination, and it possesses the same mild scouring and abrading actionas the mass. This latter property enhances the efliciency of theimplement by augmenting the total fluffy surface area thereof.

,4.5. Another object of the present invention is to utilize a visibletying strand, which has scouring properties and yet may differ somewhatfrom the massed strand, and which is so designed that it may be tiedrelatively loosely without permitting the free loops or ends of Ithemass from slipping out of proper position. The advantage of a loose tieis that the sponge has a greater spongy uncompacted volume and hence hasa correspondingly greater efective scouring surface.

55. A further major object of this invention, resides in the provisionof a twin-pad scouring devicei. e., an implement consisting of twoadjoined padsA or balls either of which mayA be used for scouringpurposes and the other of which may at the same time be used as agrip'or handle. A device of thisvtype has longer and moreeifective life,and it may be used without begriming the fingers and without tearing thelinger nails or filling them with dirt on the rough or dirty surfacebeing cleaned. This twin-pad ypreferably is bound to shape with avisible scouring strand.

The above and other objects of the present invention will fully appearupon a study of the following detailed description and its appendedclaim, when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:l 7

Figure 1 isa face View ofa preferred form of scouring implementconstructed according to' the present invention.' Y

Figure 2 is a side View of the device of Figure 1. 75

Figure 3 represents a cross sectional view taken through the tied partof the deviceV on the plane of line 3-3 in Figure 1. l

Figure 4 is a sectional View corresponding'to that of Figure 3, buttaken on a modified form of implement wherein thevends of the body arefluifed into ball shape. Y

Figure 5 isa schematic view illustrating the method of looping 'the bodystrandsl back and forth prior'to the tying operation. 85

Y Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged detail view of a short piece of thetying strand'shown` in Figures 1 to 3. With `continued reference' to thedrawing, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts, thebodies of the scouring Sponges of Figures l to 4 are started, as seen inFigure 5, by

looping yone or more long scouring strands 7 back and forth to form twoseries of interconnected end loops 8a and 8b. These end loops diiTeronly as to location. One single elongated strand '7 preferably isutilized, and of course Figure 5 illustrates only a small portion of thetotal quantity of material that makes up the body.

' The strand '7 may be of any conventional type. 100 For example, asshown, it comprises a central cord or wire core 9 which pierces thecoils of a coiled metallic ribbon 10. It may also consist of a strandlike that seen in Figure 6 and fully y disclosed in my copendingapplication Serial No. m5 585,338, led January 7th, 1932. The chiefrequisites are that the mass of looped material must be somewhat spongyand must present abundant metallic scouring edges or projections toproduce a mild, but effective, abrading surface. 110

The initial looping step in the formation of the sponge is not new. Thenovelty of the present invention resides in the method of binding thelooped strands and in the special shape and functions of the finalproduct.

Having looped a suicient quantity of material into a roughly cylindricalmass, the latter then is bound at its center, between the sets of loopends, by an elongated tying strand 12. This tying strand is wrappedaround and around the mass with sufficient tightness to divide the massinto two distinct lobes in the form of twin scouring pads 13a and 13b.An implement thus formed will have a much greater life than Spongesheretofore proposed, because it presents a greater total scouringsurface area and because it comprises, in effect, two separate padseither of which may be used individually until it is worn out.

In making individual use of one of the pads,

the other serves as a grip or handle which permits the finger `tips tobe desirably spaced away from the dirty surface that is being cleaned.This type of grip has several marked advantages over conventional Woodenhandles and the like. In the rst place, itis added without extra costand itself forms a useful part of the scouring mass; secondly, it has notendency to slip between the fingers; and again, it is sufficientlypliable to permit easy manipulation of the opposite end pad into rmengagement with crevices and corners of the surface being scoured.

The strand 12 of course is visible due to the manner in which it isapplied. For this reason, as well as for the purposes of protecting theiingers, lending pliablity to the restricted portion of the body andaugmenting the quantity and area of uffy scouring material, the tyingstrand l2 is made of Vsubstantially the same type of scouring materialas the strand '7. Preferably a strand like that in Figure 6 is employed,which strand comprises a pair of Wires 1,5 twisted together to form acore, and one or more metallic ribbons 14 bound securely in place inloop formation upon said core by a binding wire 16. This general type ofstrand and the method of making it are more fully disclosed in myaforementioned copending application. It is especially useful incarrying out the present invention, because its scouring projections, inthe form of definitely spaced ribbon loops, will not pull out or slideaxially of the core as in prior conventional strands. Due to thisdesirable characteristic, the ring of binding material forms a durablefinger grip, and its multiplicity of fixed projecting loops becomeentangled with the strands of the body mass and thus assist in holdingthe latter in its perfect twin-pad shape. The last mentioned featurefurther permits the tying material to be relatively loosely wound, withthe result that the tied portion has pliability and increased effectivescouring surface.

The device of Figure 4 differs from that of Figures 1 to 3 chieily inthat the former has ballshaped pads 13e instead of the slightlyflattened pads of the latter. The complete device has the generalappearance of a dumb-bell. This shape can :be obtained either by ufngthe loops 8a and 8b into spheroidal form after the tying operation, orby symmetrically looping the material during the operation of Figure 5so that the end pads Will naturally assume the ball formation when tied.

The tying strand, 12a., seen in Figure 4, is of the same type as thestrand '7 in Figure 5. This showing is made only for purposes ofillustration, as it will readily be understood that the strand of Figure6 and other tying materials may be used if desired.

The invention may be embodied in other specic forms without departingfrom the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The presentembodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects asillustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention beingindicated by the appended claim rather than by the foregoingdescription, and all changes which come within the meaning and range ofequivalency of the claim are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States LettersPatent isz- A metallic sponge comprising at least one scouring Ystrandwound back and forth upon itself to form a mass of material havinglooped ends, said strand comprising an elongated metallic ribbondesigned to provide a multiplicity of scraping edges; a forming andtying strand wound relatively loosely around the mass of material todivide the latter into two spongy portions made up of the said loopedends, said forming and tying strand comprising an elongated core havingmetallic ribbon securely bound thereon in the ,form of definitely spacedscouring loops, whereby said tying strand serves the further functionsof preventing said looped ends of the mass from being pulled out and ofproviding a soft and durable grip for the finger tips,

WILLIAM C. PROTZ.

